Bloggers view two

Thought I would have a change of image. I hope you like it. The old pink background did not work for me and to be honest the picture of yours truly was not that good. The view of Sandwell Valley is just a few minutes walk from my house. I suppose in many ways we are lucky to have such a wonderful facility right on our door step. Although we have a motorway and railway running through the valley it does not distract from its beauty. I am hearing that there is talk that wind turbines are to be erected in the valley. I do hope that this is just idle gossip because that would get the locals hopping mad. On the other side of our ward we have red House Park which is constantly the subject of conjecture over its future and that of the Red House which is now vandal hit and in need of repair. I challenged the candidates at our bye election to give commitment to getting an answer on the future of the park. No such commitment was forthcoming. A worrying scenario I think.

A bloggers view

From the window at my office from home which was my youngest daughters bedroom. I can see a green area which stretches across mine and five other properties. From my property boundary to the road it is council property and should be maintained by them. Over the years my wife and I have adopted the area in front of our home and in later years our neighbours have done the same, We collectively cut the grass and generally care for the site. When a tree died Sandwell did not have a budget to replace it and we replaced it with an oak I had nurtured from an acorn. We have planted shrubs, wild flowers and bulbs which make it a very pretty place throughout the year. This year the daffodils do not appear to be doing well but I was reminded of a few years ago when we had an exceptional crop that flowered just before Mothers day. When I went to look at the front garden on Mothering Sunday the whole lot had disappeared. Some Mom had a very special bunch of daffs that year. Our oak is now a strong sapling surrounded by orange crocus and I have to say since my doggy poster appeared on the hedge in front of my house not a doggy poop anywhere.
I wonder if we can get a council tax refund for cutting the grass, litter picking, sweeping the pavements etc.? I won’t hold my breath.

Meals on wheels go into orbit

Last night our local newspaper reported that Sandwell Council’s Adult Services & Health committee had unanimously approved a massive 30% increase in charges for meals on wheels. Quite rightly some local people are disgusted by this decision and so am I. Last May Sandwell Council adopted a report from a select committee it had formed to consider the needs of older people in the borough. I gave evidence to this select committee. The philosophy behind the report was that all older people should be able to live, safe, dignified and fulfilled lives. There was a lot about reducing poverty and providing help when it was needed. A strategy document call Living Well in Later Life underpinned the select committee report and an Older Peoples Partnership Board is being formed to monitor what should be happening as the strategy unfolds.
If the newspaper report is correct it would appear from this decision that either the Adult Services & Health committee have not read the report or have ignored its findings.
There as also been discussion documents from the local government association called All Our Tomorrows which this decision seems to fly in the face of. I hope the Partnership Board will take this matter seriously and censure the committee to get this decision reversed. In the meantime I am calling on my Councillor to lobby to get this appalling decision reversed and I am calling for this uncaring committee and the officers who advise it to resign.
A 30% increase on meals after a 15% increase in fuel costs with only a 2.1% increase in pensions is an absolute disgrace. Where do they think the extra money is going to come from? It only affects 495 of the most vulnerable people in Sandwell. Shame on you.

4 d grd kids

Hi lola, oscar fred and ? how is ya Im getin the ang o dis texin I tink

I am going to try to include a regular spot for you guys because I know the Americans are quite good at it but the brits are still a little behind. Eldest grandson is waiting for results of 11+ so I guess a little pre occupied hence no nickname for him yet and why I called him ? So over to you lot I wont publish the comments unless you want me to.

Nan sez hi n tex her on d mob

The Prime Minister, council tax and pensioners.

Yesterday Bruiser Brown and hapless Alistair were trying to sell the idea of nationalising Northern Rock to a somewhat hostile press in Downing Street. All very interesting stuff. For almost the full length of the BBC News 24 broadcast the ticker tape announcing breaking news was reporting a pensioner from Norfolk being sent to prison because he couldn’t afford to pay his council tax. I wonder if Bruiser saw this and if so how many more pensioners need to spend time in jail before he realises how unfair this tax is to pensioners.
I’m sure we are going to hear a lot more about this. In the meantime I think I’ll start up my PAB campaign again.

Local elections the thank you notes

It’s been a month since our bye election and the thank you notes are appearing through the letter box. First to show was the Lib dems with Focus 269 thanking us for voting and stressing they will continue to provide an all year round service and pushing their candidate in a subtle way for May election proper. Slight mistake, when they forgot to put in their voting numbers and had to pencil them in afterwards. Labour followed with a slick little thank you card from our new councillor. Dave is learning fast. Headline “Got a problem” Tell Dave and Shirley. What’s the betting it’s Hosell V Underhill in May? Dave’s card is really clever because he distances himself from Labour and pushes his name. That’s got to be a vote winner. Clever understates this card, brilliant is more like it. Who is writing his material these days? Saatchi & Saatchi or Alistair Campbell? Whoever it is is getting it right. Well done to team Hosell. If this is round one I’ll give it you on points.
I don’t expect to see any further correspondence from the Tories they don’t usually bother and the Greens, well, on their showing who cares?
I think if the standard of material produced for these thank you notes is repeated in May it will be a very close race. I better start re programming my guesstimometer. Will the Tories and Greens bother? I intend to do another Bonus and Banana Skins game about three weeks before Election Day.

An ASBO for Sandwell?

I have been thinking about my earlier post (The System 3 Residents 0 )and my concerns after our community forum meeting. One of the buildings referred to is a local authority project. If the revelations claimed are true and the planning laws are such that they can in effect get planning permission for a bungalow and then build a block of flats its time the law was changed in favour of the residents. If my local MP should by chance read this blog how about leading a campaign to get the law changed? There are a lot of votes over here in Newton on planning issues. In the meantime the behaviour of the developers is just as bad as any yob who whose behaviour affects peoples lives so I am awarding the first citizens ASBO to Sandwell MBC it’s officers and councillors.
I don’t suppose for one minute they will take the slightest bit of notice but I feel much better.